Write a 2 pages paper on a about tennis shoes. A speech about tennis shoes Respected Chair, distinguished guests of the day, and my dear friends, As you all know, Tennis is a well known game which has fans all over the world. Like the other components of the game, I strongly feel that tennis shoes are also important for the effective performance of a player in the court and there is no doubt that the latest designs and technologies make them really performance oriented. It is essential for the players to wear special shoes designed for tennis because ordinary running shoes would not work for them. I have learnt that running shoes are designed to facilitate forward motion exerting more stress on the feet and that they do not provide stability for the feet in sideways body movements which is essential for tennis players. A major distinction could be made between the tennis shoes based on the material used to make them. Generally, there are three different types of tennis shoes made up of canvas, leather and vinyl. Shoes made of canvas provide comfort to the feet since it is the most breathing material and the one which keep the feet without sweating. On the other hand, leather shoes provide better stability and the material is much comfortable for the feet even if it breathe less. Shoes made of vinyl are the most comfortable choice for the feet but possess the disadvantage of making the feet hot and sweat even though vinyl is able to absorb water from the wet surroundings. You should also realize that tennis shoes vary according to the nature of the court. Specially designed shoes are available for hard courts, clay courts and grass courts and players could choose their shoes accordingly. Shoes which have added tread and soft sole are suitable for hard tennis courts and you can go for flexible and soft souls if you are going to play on soft courts (Brown xvi). The sole of the shoe is considered to be an important part and different types of rubber components are used to increase the durability of shoes. Another difference which could be observed is in the position of air cavities. There are tennis shoes with air in toes, heels and in both toes and heels and special designs which provide extra stability like low-tops, mid-tops and polyurethane mid soles. Another difference is in the case of shoes for men and women. Smaller size men’s shoes were used by women players in the past but tennis shoes specially designed for men and women are available now. Women’s shoes could be distinguished by features like narrow heel area and a wider toe portion and shoes for men possess same width in the toe and heel areas (Trabert, Witchey & DeNevi 25). For Brown, inside and outside stability is the most important feature of a true tennis shoe. Tennis is a game which requires more side to side movements than the forward or backward motion and therefore choosing a shoe which supports controlled sideways movements would prevent the feet from rolling and thus help to prevent ankle sprains. There are tennis shoes of different weights, comfort levels and costs available to tennis players and it is always to go for the light weight shoes if it satisfies all other requirements (Brown xiv). Therefore it is understood that different types of tennis shoes are available in order to suit specific purposes. Special tennis shoes are available even for kids to play tennis. Specially designed shoes for tennis facilitate balanced and easy sideways movement for the feet and exertion of lesser force on the joints. Tennis players can make a choice among the large variety of shoes available for them according to their comfort and the nature of the court in which they are going to play. This provides comfort for players to perform well in court and to keep them away from injuries. Let me, therefore, once again remind you that the most suitable tennis shoe can bring out the best from a tennis player and I would recommend all of you to know more about the advantages of appropriate tennis shoes. With this I conclude my speech. Thank you. Works Cited Brown, Jim. Tennis: steps to success. Illustrated 3rd ed: Human Kinetics, 2004. Print. Trabert, Tony., Witchey, Ron & DeNevi, Don. Tennis past 50. Illustrated ed: Human Kinetics, 2002. Print.